US lawmakers have just one day left to agree on the size of a package of money for federal agencies before the start of the new fiscal year on Sunday. In May, President Joe Biden agreed with the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, on a plan that partially met the demands of the right to limit some expenses. However, the extreme wing of the Republicans seeks significantly higher cuts and refuses to approve the budgets of individual ministries.
Photo: Jonathan Ernst, Reuters
Republican leader of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy talks about the impending shutdown
Therefore, at the last minute, McCarthy came up with a proposal to temporarily finance the government, which was supposed to secure money only for October and leave time for further negotiations. Contrary to the ideas of Biden’s Democrats, the proposal contained up to a third less money for some departments, while, on the other hand, it counted on financing the construction of a wall on the border with Mexico, which is sought by the Republican supporters of former President Donald Trump.
However, the cuts were not enough for the radicals in McCarty’s party, and they rejected the proposal. Democrats, on the other hand, considered the spending cuts to be too big, and Friday’s vote was therefore 232 to 198 against the proposal. According to American commentators, the result further weakened McCarthy’s already shaky position at the head of the House, from which the extreme wing wants to remove him.
Photo: Jonathan Ernst, Reuters
Republican lawmakers leave the Capitol building after rejecting the proposal
At the same time, the proposal’s failure significantly increased the likelihood that the federal government will operate in emergency mode starting Sunday. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be temporarily laid off, the money will not only be for salaries, but also for a number of social expenses.
Despite the failure of McCarthy’s attempt, the White House signaled on Friday that it believed there was still a chance for a deal. Democrats want to try to push through their proposal to temporarily fund the government, which has enough bipartisan support in the Senate. However, according to American media estimates, it will be difficult to find sufficient support for Republicans in the House.
COMMENTARY: The American debt ceiling or the end of covid – Matěj Široký
2023-09-29 19:32:08
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